You’d think that EA would be doing its best to separateMedal of Honorfrom the pack in a very crowded first-person shooter market. The team at EA Los Angeles is, indeed, working to make the game stand out, but the experience is not likely to be the most innovative shooter you’ve ever played. Executive producer Greg Goodrich explained that the intent is to build a highly polished game:

What we’re focusing on is making a great first-person shooter. [If we don’t] put out [a game] that revolutionize[s] the genre, so be it, but we’re showing up to do a great game — a great experience that fans will love.

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He went on to express his belief thatMedal of Honorwill innovate in the way it tells its story, and by including the experiences of aTier 1 operator, the game is already doing something no other shooter has done. In addition, as seen in thedebut teaser trailer, your enemies will employ “unexpected” and unconventional tactics. “But at the end of the day,” Goodrich told me, “it’s all about making a great shooter, and not necessarily pushing the genre forward.”

That said, the developers are certainly aware of the competition and that the stakes are high, and they’re aiming for the top. “Nowadays, especially in the shooter genre, if you show up to the table, you have to show up with quality — you have to show up with a product that’s meant to be at the forefront of this genre,” said Goodrich. “Because if you show up with a product that’s not of quality, you might as well just not show up — there’s no point.”

The opening area of the Whisper mission, in a small grove.

For the lowdown onMedal of Honor’s single-player campaign, check out my full preview, which is going up at 9:20 AM EST.

The Divide in the Cosmodrome, where the Guardian was resurrected.

A holofoil Ribbontail, as seen in collections.

The Phoneutria Fera hand cannon, inspired by the Season of the Haunted armor set. It has a unique, galactic glow.

Three Fuses appear in a match of Apex Legends' Wild Card mode.

Mad Maggie opens a supply bin and an item with a symbol indicating infinite ammo appears.

Legends slide through a zipline in King’s Canyon in Apex Legends.

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The Yeartide Apex tex Mechanica SMG with a Holofoil glow.